April 24, 2014

Bullring Spring Fashion Fix #BullringSFF

Last week I had a life-changing experience. Seriously! It just so happened to be at my favourite setting of Bullring for their Spring Fashion Fix; a blast of fresh spring colour to blow away any winter cobwebs. I bundled along after work, feeling ragged and worn, and emerged full of spring cheer and inspiration.

I wasn't so sure what to expect as I made my way through the mall and found the vibrant setting in the middle of the shops, with a central catwalk and various pods dotting along the edge. I caught up with the lovely Emma of Bullring, who filled me in on the happenings and guided me to my Colour Consultation. I'm definitely a yes person and hadn't really thought about what a consultation on colour would be, but oh my, it has transformed my future wardrobe forever!

I met style guru Emily Jayne who guided me through a masterclass on the colours that suit me and the shades I should avoid. When I had ginger hair, I was dubious of the whole 'green really suits you!' and 'avoid red with red hair!' comments as I know from having makeovers that random colours can actually suit, e.g. hot pink eyeshadow. Emily Jayne's master class began with her sussing that because I have changed my hair colour, I'm between two colour pallets - warm for my natural colouring and clear for my now dark hair VS light eyes. She selected two piles of fabric sheets and plucked a few colours from the warm and clear selections, holding them against me in the mirror. It's like magic! Aqua, dandelion yellow and apricot somehow made my eyes more blue, my hair look like it had just been washed and my complexion even and bright. When faced with the grey or pastel fabric in the wrong pallets, my skin looked sallow and my hair just all wrong. I thought I knew which colours generally suited me but now I have a selection that I know will work, and that's especially important for wearing colour at work, because I want to look streamlined and not zany. When a colour suits you, it's suddenly not so scary.

I urge you to scope out Emily Jayne's Pinterest boards and posts to see which pallets you suit! Before I scampered round the shops armed with a sheet of paper with my new favourite colours on, I sat down for the next Style Fix Workshop. I'd much rather this constructive, close-up catwalk show than a big production as presenter Laura talked through key trends and models built the look themselves, before strutting down the runway in their high-street looks. The colour was definitely unleashed!

Before being spoiled with a goody bag of Kiehls, Hotel Chocolat and Urban Decay, I paid the UD pod a visit and experienced the Naked Palette for the first time. I wasn't previously too fussed by the selection of shadows too similar to those I already own, but the MUA gave me a soft yet smokey eye, perfect for an office-to-drinks look I could attempt on a Friday. There is a new Urban Decay concession launching in Selfridges soon in the new Beauty Hall so look out!

I am so ready to sort through my wardrobe, pack away muted winter tones and create an eBay pile this weekend. Thank you to all for a fantastic evening! I even volunteered for a live colour demonstration blasted out to the whole shopping centre and found a message from a friend on my phone later saying 'I can hear you in the Bullring?!' Haha!

I've never been much of a fan of the the bullring if I'm honest but they do do a lot of student engagement activities which I think a lot of retailers could learn from - Especially Westfield Merry Hill!